


stay

by wintercrystale



Series: in a universe without you [1]
Category: NU'EST
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Angst, Childhood Friends, M/M, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:01:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23750497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wintercrystale/pseuds/wintercrystale
Summary: Like what Minhyun always says, Minki is stubborn.
Relationships: Choi Minki | Ren/Hwang Minhyun, Hwang Minhyun/Kim Jonghyun | JR
Series: in a universe without you [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1761733
Comments: 6
Kudos: 24





	stay

**Author's Note:**

> anya told me to cross-post this to ao3 to water the minren tag. it's originally just posted on twitter a year ago

Like what Minhyun always said, Minki was stubborn.

Most of the reasons they bickered was because Minki wouldn't admit that he was wrong. In the end of their fights, Minhyun was always the one to sigh tiredly and apologize. It's not just the fights, though. Minki still wouldn't admit that he cried himself to sleep the first week his best friend left the country to study abroad for a year back in middle school. His pride and ego would never admit defeat to anyone.

Not even to himself.

Lately, Minki hadn't been feeling alright. Whenever Minhyun laughed his obnoxious laugh, Minki felt irritated that he thought Minhyun was beautiful. Wasn't his best friend always  _ this _ pretty anyway? Whenever Minhyun got close to pick some stray lints from his hair or clothes, Minki's heartbeat went erratic; he thought he might need to go see a doctor. He was sure he didn't have arrhythmia, so why did that happen? Whenever Minhyun voiced aloud that he might want to look for someone to date, Minki felt a burn at the back of his eyes.

"Green doesn't look good on you," Minki said, thinking that he himself might be the one tinged green, but it fit him perfectly.

Minhyun weighed the two shirts he held in each hand while looking at his own reflection in the mirror. "I look good in anything, to be honest."

"Not if you want to impress someone of Kim Jonghyun's caliber on the first date." Minki crossed his arms, hating himself for sounding almost bitter upon mentioning the man's name.

A smile bloomed on Minhyun's face at the same time Minki tasted the bitterness in his mouth. It's such a blissful look on Minhyun that Minki didn't dare stare another second for fear of wanting to hold the man close and just tell him not to go. He would if he understood even the tiniest of feelings he had been experiencing these past… four months. He was sure during the period of his friendship with Minhyun—which had lasted a lifetime—never once had he felt things like these.

"You're right, I'll probably go with blue." Minhyun threw the green shirt to his bed in favor of putting the checkered deep cobalt blue shirt in front of his body. It did fit him perfectly, Minki thought it was unfair.

"You called me here just to tell you green doesn't suit you?" Minki hissed, but almost immediately regretting saying that because he was hit with the full force of Minhyun's smile—complete with his pretty eyes turning to crescents.

"Objection, I called you here because I'm so nervous I need a support from my  _ best friend _ to go through with this date."

Never once in Minki's life had he ever felt the throbbing pain of being addressed as best friend by his own authentic best friend since diapers Hwang Minhyun. What was that supposed to mean? Was he hating Minhyun now that he didn't want to be his best friend anymore?

Shaking off the violent thoughts, Minki stepped closer to Minhyun and braved himself to hold Minhyun's shoulders with a tight grip. "You're Hwang Minhyun, my best friend,"—the taste on Minki's tongue was acidic—"you will be alright because we know he likes you, too."

A glint of uncertainty flashed through Minhyun's beautiful eyes and Minki was concerned about how they're close enough that he noticed that. He could've told Minhyun not to go and ask him to do a marathon of their favorite shitty drama instead. They could've cuddled on the sofa in Minhyun's living room while insulting how unrealistic the plotline was and laugh with each other. Alas, Minki's stubbornness had subsided and gave way to his cowardice selflessness.

_ 'Stay,' _ Minki's heart wanted to scream. Not because Kim Jonghyun was too good for Minhyun, but because of an unknown reason he so wanted not to surface.

"Thanks, Minki." Minhyun's right hand raised to tuck a stray hair behind Minki's ear and proceeded to pat Minki's cheek gently. "I wouldn't ask for another best friend, you're the only one for me."

Minki cursed at how Minhyun didn't realize how dangerous his words were. He wanted so much to kick and scream for Minhyun to take it back, because he didn't want it. He didn't want… to be just Minhyun's best friend anymore. As Minki stared at the galaxy swirling in Minhyun's eyes, he found the answer to his misery.

Minki fell in love with his best friend.

It didn't make sense.

"How do I look?" Minhyun asked after he put on the button up shirt atop a band t-shirt Minki bought him for his sixteenth birthday.

_ 'Perfect, as always,'  _ Minki's heart teetered dangerously to spilling the truth, but he held back.

"Like the ugliest person on Earth that Jonghyun somehow wants to date," Minki spat instead.

Minhyun tsked and smiled at his best friend, knowing that it was how he usually showed support. "Thanks, I appreciate it."

After putting on some perfume and deeming Minhyun appropriate for the date of a lifetime, Minki escorted him to the front porch. Perhaps it's not too late to rig Minhyun's date and profess how he'd been feeling these past months. It would be selfish of Minki, but wouldn't it worth a try? They had been friends since forever, surely Minhyun would understand the predicament Minki put himself in and forgive him enough for them to continue normally as friends if Minhyun didn't feel the same? Maybe.

"Minhyun, wait," Minki called out at Minhyun's retreating back.

When Minhyun turned to look at Minki with a curious stare, Minki felt panic settling inside him.

Minki was stubborn, and he wouldn't ruin Minhyun's happiness with his stupid feelings.

"Be yourself," Minki said instead, opting to give an advice. "If he can't love you for what you are, I don't want to be introduced to him."

The smile Minki got in return made him regret his words for the second time that night. Surely, Minhyun's smile was never exclusively for him, though he'd love to be the one sole reason Minhyun smiled.

"Don't worry, you'll like him."

Such an unfair reply. It's a loaded answer, served only to break Minki's heart more at the implication of his courtship succeeding to last longer than either of them would've thought.

As Minhyun turned back to leave once again, Minki was left alone on Minhyun's front porch. His heart was beating steadily, yet crumbling exponentially in his own hands.

Perhaps, Minki's stubbornness to keep his feelings locked up would once do good for Minhyun's own happiness.

**Author's Note:**

> if you ever want to be my friend, hmu on [twitter](https://twitter.com/wintercrystale) or yell at me on [cc](https://curiouscat.me/wintercrystale)!


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